Oral history interview of Brittney Kempema, conducted by Kaitlin Hermes (transcript)

Brittney Kempema discusses her experience having her first baby towards the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, and also what it was like to teach high school over the past year while dealing with safety protocols because of the virus.

Brittney Kempema Salt Lake City, Utah An interview by Kaitlin Hermes March 10, 2021 Utah COVID-19 Digital Collection Project J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections Department University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah 1 00:02:48.510 --> 00:02:49.140 Kaitlin Hermes: Hello. 2 00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:50.820 Brittney Kempema: hi how are you. 3 00:02:51.600 --> 00:02:52.680 Kaitlin Hermes: i'm good, how are you. 4 00:02:52.980 --> 00:02:53.940 Brittney Kempema: Good thanks. 5 00:02:55.290 --> 00:03:06.000 Kaitlin Hermes: OK so i'm just going to start with this statement, this is Kaitlin Hermes interviewing Brittney Kempema on March 10, 2021 for the Marriott Library’s Covid-19 project. 6 00:03:07.530 --> 00:03:08.760 Kaitlin Hermes: And can you hear me okay? 7 00:03:09.030 --> 00:03:09.720 Brittney Kempema: Yes, I can. 8 00:03:11.040 --> 00:03:15.690 Kaitlin Hermes: Okay, great I want to start asking you questions so Where are you from. 9 00:03:17.220 --> 00:03:23.700 Brittney Kempema: Originally i'm from Nebraska well that's where I was born, but I moved all around my dad was in the air force. 10 00:03:25.020 --> 00:03:29.880 Kaitlin Hermes: Oh cool awesome, what city do you live in now, and how long have you been there? 11 00:03:30.360 --> 00:03:34.140 Brittney Kempema: I live in Salt Lake City and I've been here for about 10 years. 12 00:03:37.050 --> 00:03:39.240 Kaitlin Hermes: Did you always know that you wanted to become a teacher? 13 00:03:40.050 --> 00:03:58.320 Brittney Kempema: No, not at all I originally wanted to get into journalism and I wanted to work like either radio or print journalism, but those things that didn't quite work out and so years later I kind of figured out, I wanted to teach. 14 00:03:59.970 --> 00:04:00.300 Kaitlin Hermes: yeah. 15 00:04:02.130 --> 00:04:04.500 Kaitlin Hermes: What grade and what subject, do you teach now. 16 00:04:05.160 --> 00:04:07.560 Brittney Kempema: And I teach 10th and 12th grade English. 17 00:04:09.720 --> 00:04:11.610 Kaitlin Hermes: And how long have you been teaching. 18 00:04:12.600 --> 00:04:14.070 Brittney Kempema: This is my ninth year. 19 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:18.270 Kaitlin Hermes: Oh wow, do you enjoy teaching so far after 9 years. 20 00:04:21.090 --> 00:04:23.430 Brittney Kempema: It’s something, it’s my job for the rest of my life there's nothing else i'd rather do. 21 00:04:24.960 --> 00:04:35.220 Kaitlin Hermes: that's amazing that's really cool so my classmate and your previous student told me that you had a baby during quarantine with this your first child or do you have other children. 22 00:04:35.400 --> 00:04:36.510 Brittney Kempema: that is my first child. 23 00:04:37.950 --> 00:04:40.650 Kaitlin Hermes: Oh wow and when was your baby born. 24 00:04:41.580 --> 00:04:42.540 Brittney Kempema: April tenth. 25 00:04:45.390 --> 00:04:47.610 Kaitlin Hermes: Ok, and can I ask, did you have a boy or a girl. 26 00:04:47.910 --> 00:04:48.480 Brittney Kempema: I had a girl. 27 00:04:49.890 --> 00:04:50.310 Kaitlin Hermes: Oh okay, that’s cute. 28 00:04:52.020 --> 00:04:55.890 Kaitlin Hermes: um What was your initial reaction to the breakout of Covid-19. 29 00:04:57.060 --> 00:05:08.760 Brittney Kempema: um I think initially I don't think I think it was, like many people I didn't take it very seriously, I thought that it was something that was far away, it wasn't like people were kind of like freaking out and i'm like it's. 30 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:17.850 Brittney Kempema: gonna be fine it wasn't until like they started shutting school down in closing everything down that it hit me like this is a really big deal. 31 00:05:20.310 --> 00:05:30.510 Kaitlin Hermes: And you had your baby like pretty early on into quarantine because for us at least like school got canceled March 13 and we didn't really have a lot of information so. 32 00:05:32.040 --> 00:05:34.920 Kaitlin Hermes: How did you think that Covid was going to affect your child. 33 00:05:36.300 --> 00:05:41.820 Brittney Kempema: um I mean, as far as like it's you know, like. 34 00:05:43.350 --> 00:05:45.660 Brittney Kempema: So I didn't I knew. 35 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:58.230 Brittney Kempema: Actually, like you said, like I didn't know anything um you know it's definitely a fear of mine once things got more serious that if I were to get it, if I could give it to her if there is anything like that. 36 00:05:59.760 --> 00:06:03.150 Brittney Kempema: You know, like if there was, like, I think the biggest thing was like. 37 00:06:03.540 --> 00:06:06.900 Brittney Kempema: me getting it and giving it to her, especially when she was so little. 38 00:06:07.320 --> 00:06:22.500 Brittney Kempema: And I knew really from like I had like you said everything shut down on was at march 13 and I had a doctor's appointment two days later and that's when I found out like no visitors in the hospital like only my husband. 39 00:06:22.500 --> 00:06:23.640 Brittney Kempema: Everybody had to wear masks. 40 00:06:23.970 --> 00:06:30.990 Brittney Kempema: And so, from that point on, I knew like having her was not going to be like having a normal baby, or like at a normal time. 41 00:06:32.640 --> 00:06:35.040 Kaitlin Hermes: Definitely mm hmm um. 42 00:06:36.180 --> 00:06:37.860 Kaitlin Hermes: And with that. 43 00:06:40.260 --> 00:06:40.680 Kaitlin Hermes: Sorry. 44 00:06:42.870 --> 00:06:56.850 Kaitlin Hermes: With that, as you said, like it was very strict you could only bring your husband, but were you still able to have all the same doctor's appointments was he able to come to each of them like how was that for you're dealing with all the protocols, they were implementing. 45 00:06:57.300 --> 00:07:06.360 Brittney Kempema: And the last couple of appointments he couldn't come, and that was actually, so I think it was the last three or four he wasn't able to come to. 46 00:07:08.280 --> 00:07:18.180 Brittney Kempema: And so that was kind of that was hard, she was a high risk pregnancy, to begin with, and so to not have them him there and actually my last appointment they sent me down to. 47 00:07:19.560 --> 00:07:24.420 Brittney Kempema: Labor and delivery because they were worried, like my blood pressure and stuff, and so it was scary to not like have him. 48 00:07:24.420 --> 00:07:24.750 there. 49 00:07:25.980 --> 00:07:27.240 Brittney Kempema: During all of that yeah. 50 00:07:29.250 --> 00:07:30.840 Kaitlin Hermes: Definitely and that's definitely like. 51 00:07:31.530 --> 00:07:43.080 Kaitlin Hermes: A big change because we haven't had a big pandemic like this in a really long time, so you don't really have any other stories to compare it with of like how am I going to do this by myself, even though my husband wants to come, he can't be here. 52 00:07:43.320 --> 00:07:46.110 Kaitlin Hermes: that’s definitely a very, very unique new experience. 53 00:07:46.410 --> 00:07:54.450 Brittney Kempema: And I think right around the time that I had her and that's when a lot of the hospitals were saying like no visitors are all especially like in New York, and like the. 54 00:07:54.450 --> 00:07:55.170 Brittney Kempema: bigger cities. 55 00:07:55.470 --> 00:07:56.640 Brittney Kempema: And so that was my biggest. 56 00:07:56.640 --> 00:07:58.410 Brittney Kempema: fear is that they weren't even gonna let my husband in. 57 00:08:00.390 --> 00:08:10.230 Kaitlin Hermes: mm hmm yeah I actually read an article interviewing a woman who that happened to there were four days in New York where no spouses were allowed and she had to have her baby during those four days. 58 00:08:10.710 --> 00:08:14.340 Kaitlin Hermes: And then, as soon as she got home and restrictions were lifted so that's definitely something. 59 00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:21.360 Kaitlin Hermes: I thought expectant mothers might be scared about but were you able to have your husband there for Labor and delivery. 60 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:22.500 Brittney Kempema: yeah he was able to be there. 61 00:08:24.210 --> 00:08:26.220 Kaitlin Hermes: that's really good um. 62 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:34.020 Kaitlin Hermes: Were you hesitant to give birth in a hospital, did you ever consider having a home birth. 63 00:08:34.290 --> 00:08:35.490 Brittney Kempema: Not at all, no, I think. 64 00:08:36.840 --> 00:08:46.350 Brittney Kempema: The risks definitely I mean like the I think the risk, especially I was a high risk pregnancy, the risk of having her like at home or somewhere else, and something going wrong. 65 00:08:46.860 --> 00:08:55.500 Brittney Kempema: That was scarier to me than like being a hospital. plus I know at a hospital like they take precautions like that I felt safe being there. 66 00:08:57.030 --> 00:09:10.710 Kaitlin Hermes: mm hmm and it's nice to know, like they’re medical professionals they're going to take Covid seriously which i'm sure helped ease your mind a little bit um how did your husband feel about you, having to give birth during the pandemic. 67 00:09:13.230 --> 00:09:13.680 Brittney Kempema: I don't. 68 00:09:14.160 --> 00:09:23.040 Brittney Kempema: I mean he's never really said anything so I don't know if what he thought about it, I know it was disappointing for him to like not go to the last few appointments. 69 00:09:25.290 --> 00:09:36.150 Brittney Kempema: But yeah and like you said it was kind of at the beginning of things like when I had her they were, I mean masks were not even like they had us wear a mask when we are on like Labor and delivery. 70 00:09:36.660 --> 00:09:38.850 Brittney Kempema: But, like the rest of the hospital, like, for my. 71 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:42.870 Brittney Kempema: OB appointments and things like that masks were still not like a required thing. 72 00:09:44.010 --> 00:09:57.690 Kaitlin Hermes: Oh wow, yeah yeah early early on, it was very kind of confusing, because everyone had different rules and stuff yeah Oh, what are you nervous about family or friends coming to see the baby once you had her. 73 00:09:58.020 --> 00:10:02.160 Brittney Kempema: yeah and it took let's see I think she was. 74 00:10:05.040 --> 00:10:09.330 Brittney Kempema: Almost two months before my parents got to meet her and. 75 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:23.430 Brittney Kempema: Even then, it was like through the door and then eventually we went like once they got warmer to like the patio or we could separate and it wasn't until she was born in April and it wasn't until like late June, where they actually held her for the first time. 76 00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:31.470 Kaitlin Hermes: Oh wow that's crazy do you guys use like zoom or facetime or anything to like show them to all your friends. 77 00:10:32.010 --> 00:10:48.330 Brittney Kempema: um do not really have a lot of with our my husband's family lives in Michigan and then with my parents of the beginning, we did a lot of like facetime calls, but not as far as like extended family or friends, we just kind of posted some pictures stuff like that. 78 00:10:53.190 --> 00:11:05.460 Kaitlin Hermes: So getting into you as a teacher, of course, your previous students told me that you didn't really get to have a maternity leave and then you went right back to teaching from home through zoom so how was that experience for you. 79 00:11:07.830 --> 00:11:16.650 Brittney Kempema: It was it was probably one of the biggest mistakes or probably the biggest struggle that I had because I feel like I didn't really get to bond with my child. 80 00:11:17.040 --> 00:11:28.590 Brittney Kempema: untill school was out, and it was more like, how can I get her to sleep or how can I like calm her down, just so I can grade papers or so I can have this class or so my mind was always on what needed to be done. 81 00:11:29.070 --> 00:11:43.440 Brittney Kempema: For the students and not so much my kid, and so there was like a lot of time that I didn't really get to spend bonding with her or you know when most mothers would probably take a nap I was not napping and so i'm still trying to catch up for that. 82 00:11:45.720 --> 00:11:50.220 Kaitlin Hermes: And as you said at the end of the school year once it got to the summer, did you feel like you have more free time. 83 00:11:50.640 --> 00:11:52.590 Brittney Kempema: Oh yeah yeah it was a lot better. 84 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:57.780 Kaitlin Hermes: How did your students react to you, having a baby. 85 00:11:58.830 --> 00:12:11.790 Brittney Kempema: And my students, I mean they were wonderful they I would sometimes put bring her on call like the zoom meetings and stuff like that and super supportive and wonderful and yeah it was a great group that I taught last year. 86 00:12:13.020 --> 00:12:19.170 Kaitlin Hermes: that's really good yeah um What was it like for you, going from teaching in person teaching over zoom. 87 00:12:20.520 --> 00:12:21.030 Brittney Kempema: um, 88 00:12:22.830 --> 00:12:31.620 Brittney Kempema: It was awful it was and I love and I think probably of any year last year was the most difficult because. 89 00:12:32.070 --> 00:12:39.570 Brittney Kempema: The senior class that I had last year, I had taught, since they were in eighth grade from eighth, tenth, twelfth, and so I was super close with them. 90 00:12:40.140 --> 00:12:45.600 Brittney Kempema: And to never get a goodbye like in a real goodbye or to watch them graduate. 91 00:12:46.410 --> 00:12:52.470 Brittney Kempema: or all the things like that you get to normally do and it's still really hard it almost feels like it's like unfinished. 92 00:12:52.890 --> 00:13:06.330 Brittney Kempema: And it's still like I know, for me it still hurts, I can only imagine for them like it's gotta really kind of bother them and so it's just like to not have like that personal interaction every day was it was a challenge. 93 00:13:08.550 --> 00:13:15.870 Kaitlin Hermes: And, especially when the pandemic first started it was the last three months of the school year and, like you said some of those kids were graduating. 94 00:13:17.070 --> 00:13:23.670 Kaitlin Hermes: For your school, what did they end up doing for graduation and did you get to have any sort of part in that. 95 00:13:25.380 --> 00:13:39.120 Brittney Kempema: So they did two things the day of graduation they made a video where they recognize the seniors and then just had like a little clip of each senior and where they're going to college and then. 96 00:13:40.590 --> 00:13:45.360 Brittney Kempema: couple months later, like late July, they did a drive through graduation and I went to that. 97 00:13:46.290 --> 00:13:47.820 Brittney Kempema: But it was nothing like. 98 00:13:48.390 --> 00:13:57.210 Brittney Kempema: A normal graduation I I still feel like they deserved so much more I feel like they kind of they got a bad deal out of the whole thing. 99 00:13:59.400 --> 00:14:06.030 Kaitlin Hermes: And as far as, you know this upcoming spring, do you know what they're going to do for graduation for them. 100 00:14:06.570 --> 00:14:19.590 Brittney Kempema: um I know that they're planning graduation i'm assuming it's going to be limited, probably to maybe parents or something like that, but I know that they're planning on going ahead with graduation this year. 101 00:14:20.850 --> 00:14:26.220 Kaitlin Hermes: and hopefully we'll get a little bit better and they can do something a little bit more grand but. 102 00:14:26.280 --> 00:14:29.130 Kaitlin Hermes: Definitely, we all have to follow the protocol to be safe. 103 00:14:30.060 --> 00:14:31.890 Kaitlin Hermes: Kind of a tough situation yeah. 104 00:14:33.330 --> 00:14:38.010 Kaitlin Hermes: um what has been the biggest difficulty you've had with teaching remotely. 105 00:14:41.310 --> 00:14:41.730 Brittney Kempema: I mean. 106 00:14:43.980 --> 00:14:45.450 Brittney Kempema: And there's so many things and. 107 00:14:46.740 --> 00:14:49.770 Brittney Kempema: I think the thing is is not really being able. 108 00:14:49.770 --> 00:14:50.190 Brittney Kempema: To see. 109 00:14:50.520 --> 00:14:57.420 Brittney Kempema: who needs help not only like with the homework and with the material, but like who really needs like. 110 00:14:58.260 --> 00:15:03.540 Brittney Kempema: Someone to talk to or who needs the kind of that extra time when you're like in a classroom and you can see. 111 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:18.480 Brittney Kempema: automatically like a students having a rough day and you can stop, and you can check on them and make sure everything's Okay, but when it's online like usually cameras are off you don't see them and it's hard to tell like if they're struggling and I think that's probably one. 112 00:15:18.630 --> 00:15:21.480 Brittney Kempema: One of the biggest challenges and communication like. 113 00:15:22.260 --> 00:15:22.590 Brittney Kempema: You know. 114 00:15:22.620 --> 00:15:31.050 Brittney Kempema: there's students online and you assume they're there, but you have no idea, and you can't get Ahold of them, and today just kind of kind of disappear so. 115 00:15:32.790 --> 00:15:44.670 Kaitlin Hermes: yeah we've definitely been limited to a more impersonal point of view, like students and teachers, so I assume that's like pretty hard to really gauge how your students are every day. 116 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:49.590 Kaitlin Hermes: Have there been any silver linings to teaching online. 117 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:52.680 Brittney Kempema: um I think. 118 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:56.220 Brittney Kempema: As far as I would say. 119 00:15:58.860 --> 00:16:05.550 Brittney Kempema: I mean the only the only thing that I enjoyed was one very like for a month, when I was still pregnant. 120 00:16:07.020 --> 00:16:22.200 Brittney Kempema: Teaching online was very nice, because I was pregnant and I was too tired to move really and I did not want to put pants like I wanted to wear sweatpants and all that and so that part was nice to being able to be home, a month sooner than I had planned and. 121 00:16:23.160 --> 00:16:24.420 Brittney Kempema: I mean, other than that. 122 00:16:25.800 --> 00:16:30.090 Brittney Kempema: There was really nothing that I really liked about it, unfortunately. 123 00:16:31.410 --> 00:16:31.800 Kaitlin Hermes: yeah. 124 00:16:32.850 --> 00:16:33.450 Kaitlin Hermes: um. 125 00:16:35.190 --> 00:16:42.000 Kaitlin Hermes: How did your students feel about switching from in person classes online classes as far as you can tell. 126 00:16:43.050 --> 00:16:44.430 Brittney Kempema: um i think. 127 00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:53.160 Brittney Kempema: At first I think for a lot of them, they thought it was going to be like you know every student their dream is to like not go to school for three months. 128 00:16:54.360 --> 00:17:00.630 Brittney Kempema: But I think once the reality hit and it's like, not only are they not going to school they're not going to their friends they’re not going out places. 129 00:17:01.770 --> 00:17:06.270 Brittney Kempema: pretty quickly, they were tired of it and they kept saying they wanted to come back to school. 130 00:17:06.570 --> 00:17:18.360 Brittney Kempema: And, as it got pushed back the first time it was supposed to be like two weeks, and then it was until April and then, as it got pushed back and back, and they would just become really disappointed because they wanted to go back to school. 131 00:17:20.790 --> 00:17:21.210 Kaitlin Hermes: and 132 00:17:22.530 --> 00:17:33.150 Kaitlin Hermes: Given that was kind of the first quarantine like those first couple months, once you started the next school year was there ever a period of time, where you got to teach in person or has it only been on zoom. 133 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:44.940 Brittney Kempema: Oh i've only taught in person, this year, so we've yeah we've been in person, the whole year, I do have you know students throughout the year that have been online that I, I teach through zoom but. 134 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:48.630 Brittney Kempema: This whole school year we've been in person, so. 135 00:17:49.050 --> 00:17:49.350 and 136 00:17:50.430 --> 00:17:55.800 Kaitlin Hermes: How like what sort of things did your school change in order to make that happen. 137 00:18:01.320 --> 00:18:03.150 Brittney Kempema: I mean, obviously the masks. 138 00:18:04.530 --> 00:18:13.590 Brittney Kempema: teachers were provided with you know cleaner and towels to wipe down the desks and a thermometer that's about it. 139 00:18:14.310 --> 00:18:15.270 Kaitlin Hermes: And oh yeah. 140 00:18:15.570 --> 00:18:25.110 Brittney Kempema: There was, when people say social distancing in classrooms I laugh um that was never anything, and you know my classrooms were. 141 00:18:26.520 --> 00:18:28.890 Brittney Kempema: You know, many of them 27, 30 students. 142 00:18:30.060 --> 00:18:33.000 Brittney Kempema: In school, there was no social distancing ever, at all, so. 143 00:18:35.400 --> 00:18:40.530 Kaitlin Hermes: yeah and I imagine that's hard, because obviously that'd be ideal, but you don't want to. 144 00:18:40.950 --> 00:18:55.170 Kaitlin Hermes: have to force certain kids to stay home if they don't want to because I imagine a couple kids want to stay home, just to be safe, but most kids probably are dying to come back to in person and there's no real way to social distance with 30 kids that all want to be in your class. 145 00:18:55.830 --> 00:19:04.890 Brittney Kempema: yeah, and I mean a lot of them I think many of them felt like they had to come back or their parents felt they had to come back because you know the school was saying, you need to be back. 146 00:19:05.790 --> 00:19:18.450 Brittney Kempema: But I know a lot of them didn't feel very good about it, or they were very nervous and you saw that throughout the year, we had, as the cases started to go up more and more students would transition and go online and there was a time in. 147 00:19:19.470 --> 00:19:25.560 Brittney Kempema: November, where I actually had more online students than I did physical students in the classroom. 148 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:27.180 Kaitlin Hermes: Oh wow. 149 00:19:28.980 --> 00:19:37.710 Kaitlin Hermes: um even with the challenges of trying to be safe, with having students in person, do you still prefer it to online learning. 150 00:19:38.970 --> 00:19:49.980 Brittney Kempema: um I think yes and no um if I, I think, for me, I feel like I want it's better to have an all or nothing if I can have everyone there and we can do it safely like. 151 00:19:50.550 --> 00:19:59.640 Brittney Kempema: By all means, like that would be preferable i'd much rather have teach in person, but as a teacher to have half your class online and half your class in person. 152 00:20:00.300 --> 00:20:00.840 Brittney Kempema: It is. 153 00:20:01.560 --> 00:20:07.230 Brittney Kempema: A nightmare, and so I think that it's it's frustrating thing this year is just not having consistency. 154 00:20:08.610 --> 00:20:18.030 Kaitlin Hermes: Definitely um what is one thing you've implemented in your class during the past year that you're going to continue even once the pandemic is over. 155 00:20:19.530 --> 00:20:20.100 Brittney Kempema: um. 156 00:20:21.030 --> 00:20:22.830 Brittney Kempema: One thing that I mean. 157 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:31.650 Brittney Kempema: i've been I think he's been worked out great and I like as far as like you're talking about like pandemic related things or like. 158 00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:40.200 Kaitlin Hermes: It could be it could be like cleaning or like using more online tools like anything you can think of. 159 00:20:40.380 --> 00:20:49.830 Brittney Kempema: Oh yeah so Google classroom before all of this, like I didn't Google classroom as I tried to have like a website once and that lasted for like a week. 160 00:20:50.670 --> 00:20:51.180 Brittney Kempema: But I do. 161 00:20:52.050 --> 00:21:09.510 Brittney Kempema: I absolutely love having a Google classroom now just for the students are absent or you know, whatever everything's there for them, and so I think it's a really useful tool, so I will definitely continue to use that after things get back to normal. 162 00:21:12.300 --> 00:21:12.870 Kaitlin Hermes: um. 163 00:21:15.270 --> 00:21:20.730 Kaitlin Hermes: Given the increased necessity for screen time nowadays, how do you unplug at the end of the day. 164 00:21:22.560 --> 00:21:29.430 Brittney Kempema: um I think i'm forced to because I have a child and so. 165 00:21:30.120 --> 00:21:39.990 Brittney Kempema: You know, every other night my husband I switch off and it's my one night is my night to rock her and get her down to sleep and that's my favorites you know 15 minutes of. 166 00:21:40.800 --> 00:21:53.040 Brittney Kempema: Nothing and I can't do anything I can't work text, I can't email, I can't my focus is just sitting there with her, and those are some of its probably sometimes the best part of my day. 167 00:21:53.700 --> 00:22:03.600 Brittney Kempema: Because I don't worry about a million other things and that's really the only time I feel like I have an excuse to not be doing a million other things so. 168 00:22:05.310 --> 00:22:15.810 Kaitlin Hermes: yeah and like with teaching and working emails like looking, probably at your computer for a lot of time you feel that that has increased your stress level. 169 00:22:17.010 --> 00:22:17.280 Brittney Kempema: yeah. 170 00:22:18.660 --> 00:22:19.500 Brittney Kempema: Very much so. 171 00:22:21.450 --> 00:22:24.570 Kaitlin Hermes: What does a typical week day look like, for you. 172 00:22:26.340 --> 00:22:40.380 Brittney Kempema: um so right now, typically so I get up usually about five o'clock in the morning and get ready for work i'm lucky enough that my husband actually gets my my baby Harper up at about 6: 15. 173 00:22:40.410 --> 00:22:42.300 Brittney Kempema: Gets her, her dress and then she and I leave. 174 00:22:42.750 --> 00:22:53.010 Brittney Kempema: To go to the school about 6:30, 6:40 in the morning and she goes to the daycare there, so I dropped her off and get her all ready, and then I go to my room and I start prepping for the day making copies. 175 00:22:54.180 --> 00:22:56.010 Brittney Kempema: prepping lessons grading whatever. 176 00:22:57.210 --> 00:23:04.080 Brittney Kempema: Answer usually answering emails, then you know from eight until 3:10 i'm teaching. 177 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:11.280 Brittney Kempema: lunch usually consists of, like me, trying to like eat while making copies or answering emails. 178 00:23:12.570 --> 00:23:13.170 Brittney Kempema: Excuse me. 179 00:23:14.070 --> 00:23:23.700 Brittney Kempema: And then school’s done at 3:10 I stay till at least four and I pick and then like working and getting everything ready for the next day I pick. 180 00:23:24.630 --> 00:23:39.570 Brittney Kempema: Harper up from a daycare about four and then we come home I make her dinner and make dinner, feed her, give her a bath, put her down to bed, and then once she's asleep and I actually get out my laptop and I usually work till about nine o'clock and then. 181 00:23:39.960 --> 00:23:43.020 Brittney Kempema: I try to get some rest a little bit. 182 00:23:45.300 --> 00:23:45.660 awesome. 183 00:23:50.430 --> 00:23:55.860 Kaitlin Hermes: Did you ever get infected with Covid-19 during your pregnancy or after you had your baby. 184 00:23:56.430 --> 00:24:04.680 Brittney Kempema: Not to my knowledge, I don't believe I ever was there was a time that I had a little bit of a cough so you never know but I don't believe that I was. 185 00:24:06.270 --> 00:24:12.330 Kaitlin Hermes: And did anyone close do you ever get infected with Covid-19 did you have any scares. 186 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:15.690 Brittney Kempema: um no I mean no scares. 187 00:24:16.770 --> 00:24:19.350 Brittney Kempema: Well um. 188 00:24:20.820 --> 00:24:26.010 Brittney Kempema: No, no scares the only thing is at the daycare one of the daycare providers did have Covid. 189 00:24:26.550 --> 00:24:30.090 Brittney Kempema: And so that was scary because we got a message. 190 00:24:30.360 --> 00:24:37.170 Brittney Kempema: In the morning when I was driving her to work that they we had to quarantine her, and I mean at this point, she was. 191 00:24:38.700 --> 00:24:46.200 Brittney Kempema: Five four or five months old and so that was yeah That was really scary and so she had to stay home for two weeks. 192 00:24:47.070 --> 00:24:48.360 Brittney Kempema: Because you know. 193 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:55.320 Brittney Kempema: I think that was terrifying for me like if going to work was putting my child at risk that scared me. 194 00:24:56.940 --> 00:24:58.800 Kaitlin Hermes: Definitely and did you ever. 195 00:25:01.020 --> 00:25:12.210 Kaitlin Hermes: Like talking to your doctor and stuff did they ever give you any sort of information about how what would happen if your baby got Covid it or how it would affect her in any way. 196 00:25:12.330 --> 00:25:17.610 Brittney Kempema: No, they we never I mean I kind of asked him some stuff, but they were they were pretty vague about. 197 00:25:17.940 --> 00:25:19.620 Brittney Kempema: You know I asked him if I got it should I say. 198 00:25:19.650 --> 00:25:20.250 Brittney Kempema: You know how. 199 00:25:20.280 --> 00:25:21.750 Brittney Kempema: Do we go about you know. 200 00:25:21.930 --> 00:25:25.110 Brittney Kempema: What do we do for her and they just kind of said it was. 201 00:25:25.350 --> 00:25:31.290 Brittney Kempema: You know, up to for us to decide as parents, but they never said, like if she got at these would be the effects or this is. 202 00:25:31.320 --> 00:25:32.190 What would happen. 203 00:25:34.740 --> 00:25:35.100 Kaitlin Hermes: and 204 00:25:36.450 --> 00:25:46.230 Kaitlin Hermes: yeah definitely when I tried to research stuff about that because I have a friend, whose parents just had a baby and we're trying to see like if we could go ever visit him so i've tried to look up. 205 00:25:47.100 --> 00:25:51.240 Kaitlin Hermes: How Covid might affect babies and it just always seemed like there wasn't a lot of information on it. 206 00:25:51.960 --> 00:26:10.740 Kaitlin Hermes: So I was just not sure if you've heard anything different but it sounds like they don't really know much so far i'm kind of going back to teaching when you had to sort of drastically transform your whole class to an online class what is one thing that you wish you'd done differently. 207 00:26:13.980 --> 00:26:14.490 Brittney Kempema: um 208 00:26:19.770 --> 00:26:21.750 Brittney Kempema: I think a lot of. 209 00:26:23.010 --> 00:26:23.460 Brittney Kempema: I think. 210 00:26:26.190 --> 00:26:36.840 Brittney Kempema: A lot of us were just trying to struggle like we're just struggling to get by and just to figure a navigate this whole thing out, and I wish I would have had more structure for the students in my classes. 211 00:26:37.980 --> 00:26:49.290 Brittney Kempema: I was trying to kind of make it easier on everybody and giving like the deadlines weren't like as strict as normal, I was a lot more lenient with things that I, in my own classroom would never tolerate. 212 00:26:51.510 --> 00:26:57.180 Brittney Kempema: And I feel like if they would have had more structure it probably would have been an easier transition for them. 213 00:26:58.290 --> 00:26:59.610 Brittney Kempema: Because they would have I mean. 214 00:27:00.750 --> 00:27:04.740 Brittney Kempema: with little structure kind of leaves them, not knowing what to do so. 215 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:09.840 Kaitlin Hermes: Definitely um so after that. 216 00:27:11.790 --> 00:27:18.960 Kaitlin Hermes: Initial part of quarantine and then you have the summer, as a little break and then you started the next school year and going back to in person, what is. 217 00:27:20.010 --> 00:27:22.350 Kaitlin Hermes: What was one of your main fears about that. 218 00:27:23.880 --> 00:27:26.880 Brittney Kempema: I think my biggest fear was how far students were going to be behind. 219 00:27:28.350 --> 00:27:42.990 Brittney Kempema: We have a lot of students, when we went online didn't participate or they struggled trying to understand the information or you know, especially where I teach a lot of them were left to take care of their siblings and didn't have. 220 00:27:43.770 --> 00:27:50.010 Brittney Kempema: The chance to even do online school, they were too busy you know caring caring for their kids or their siblings or. 221 00:27:50.070 --> 00:27:51.180 Sometimes even working. 222 00:27:52.350 --> 00:27:58.560 Brittney Kempema: Jobs, and so I was just worried about how much we would have to catch up on, and how far behind they would be. 223 00:28:00.660 --> 00:28:13.890 Kaitlin Hermes: Do you feel like your students had an easier time learning your material and participating in your class in person, after the initial three months, where it was only online. 224 00:28:15.870 --> 00:28:24.570 Brittney Kempema: um so that's The one thing if i'm understanding your question like are you asking if students like did better once they came back to class. 225 00:28:25.410 --> 00:28:25.770 Kaitlin Hermes: mm hmm. 226 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:37.800 Brittney Kempema: um not, not for a while and I hear a lot of people say like you know these students are failing because they're online, but what my students were failing and they are right there in the classroom and. 227 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:46.080 Brittney Kempema: I think a long time, it was the whole idea like there's any moment that we can go into lockdown like we can all like the school will be closed, and we have to go into quarantine like so like. 228 00:28:46.440 --> 00:28:54.210 Brittney Kempema: Through until December everybody have like one foot out the door, we thought that at any moment we're gonna hit the number of cases and schools were gonna close. 229 00:28:54.630 --> 00:29:12.540 Brittney Kempema: And, and I think, because people were so lenient with online the year before the students still thought they could get away with whatever not turning in homework, you know not doing the reading, and so I had more students fail, like the first term than i've ever had. 230 00:29:13.380 --> 00:29:16.980 Brittney Kempema: So yeah it was astounding how many students I had fail. 231 00:29:18.930 --> 00:29:26.550 Kaitlin Hermes: Because you have that kind of new mix of trepidation, but also they're not used to being as. 232 00:29:28.050 --> 00:29:35.400 Kaitlin Hermes: Disciplined now after their little bit of like lenience initially so that's kind of like a tough combo to have together plus any. 233 00:29:36.090 --> 00:29:44.400 Kaitlin Hermes: Anything they're dealing with that school you also have to add on like what they're going through at home if their parents got laid off like taking care of siblings like you said so i'm sure. 234 00:29:44.910 --> 00:29:49.710 Kaitlin Hermes: Like that actually kind of makes sense to me how they would have more difficult time afterwards, because for me at least. 235 00:29:50.250 --> 00:30:02.550 Kaitlin Hermes: I was a senior when Covid first started, so those last three months were almost easier for me because, like you said teachers were more lenient they kind of lesson up the work they Let us turn in stuff late. 236 00:30:03.060 --> 00:30:10.980 Kaitlin Hermes: So that kind of makes sense, how the new year like people kind of figured out Covid, but so now they're kind of going back to normal, even though it's not really normal. 237 00:30:14.370 --> 00:30:16.230 Kaitlin Hermes: Do you oh sorry. 238 00:30:17.700 --> 00:30:33.000 Kaitlin Hermes: When you were going back to in person classes, what was one thing that you did not agree with, whether that was something that the school was having you do, or that students were doing that you didn't like what was one thing that you didn't like to see happening. 239 00:30:37.320 --> 00:30:44.190 Brittney Kempema: Honestly, I think, going back to school full time with all the students. 240 00:30:45.960 --> 00:30:57.240 Brittney Kempema: I still question that decision I don't feel like it was the right decision, especially when so many other districts had you know, like a hybrid plan. 241 00:30:58.170 --> 00:30:58.380 Brittney Kempema: I. 242 00:30:58.710 --> 00:31:00.390 Brittney Kempema: Just one school district that had. 243 00:31:01.470 --> 00:31:02.250 Brittney Kempema: It was like. 244 00:31:03.870 --> 00:31:08.850 Brittney Kempema: Like A days B days and some groups would come on A days some groups would come on B days that type of thing. 245 00:31:10.170 --> 00:31:13.470 Brittney Kempema: I feel like it was very rushed into and. 246 00:31:14.130 --> 00:31:17.550 Brittney Kempema: I mean we for being a smaller school, we had a lot of cases. 247 00:31:18.090 --> 00:31:26.730 Brittney Kempema: teachers and students and there were times, where we really should have shut down, but because of wording and this and that and numbers. 248 00:31:28.530 --> 00:31:29.280 Brittney Kempema: It was kind of. 249 00:31:30.300 --> 00:31:32.310 Brittney Kempema: finagle people kinda finagled their way out of it. 250 00:31:33.570 --> 00:31:34.020 Brittney Kempema: and 251 00:31:35.040 --> 00:31:44.430 Brittney Kempema: Obviously, like thank goodness, you know, nobody died or anything but I saw I wonder about the long term effects, especially on these students that got it, I have a student that got it. 252 00:31:44.880 --> 00:31:54.960 Brittney Kempema: months and months and months ago, and she still has a hard time like walking upstairs and getting out of breath easily, and so I just I I question if that was the right decision and I still. 253 00:31:56.430 --> 00:31:59.550 Brittney Kempema: I mean we're about to go back to having in person assemblies and. 254 00:31:59.760 --> 00:32:15.000 Brittney Kempema: That terrifies I’ve been vaccinated I like I know for myself like i'm somewhat safe and protected, but for my students like to imagine them all, like together sitting by each other, like right next to each other in a gym like. 255 00:32:15.420 --> 00:32:16.500 It scares me yeah. 256 00:32:18.390 --> 00:32:28.320 Kaitlin Hermes: um and with your students do you feel like they've been taking Covid seriously as far as like, wearing masks, being safe protecting older family members stuff like that. 257 00:32:29.190 --> 00:32:42.750 Brittney Kempema: As far as what I see at school, I i'm lucky, because I do teach the older kids, and so I have you know there's been a few areas where i've had to remind them to put their masks on but there's never been an argument there's never been an issue. 258 00:32:43.890 --> 00:32:54.810 Brittney Kempema: they've been really responsible with it so i've been impressed with that, but I could imagine if you were teaching even you know younger secondary like seventh, eighth grade that you can run into some issues there. 259 00:32:56.250 --> 00:33:11.880 Kaitlin Hermes: Definitely and i'm curious I don't know if you would know anything about this as a teacher but i'm curious, since you teach in high school and a lot of kids are there in person, with that, what do they do about eating lunch, like in the cafeteria. 260 00:33:13.080 --> 00:33:21.210 Brittney Kempema: So I mean it's obviously it's going to be different for every school, but our school, we used to have two lunch times and we separated into three. 261 00:33:22.800 --> 00:33:27.000 Brittney Kempema: To try and have them smaller but I don't think that there's any type of. 262 00:33:29.580 --> 00:33:39.900 Brittney Kempema: Like distancing or like limited numbers at certain tables I don't think that that happens i'm like i've never seen that it just kind of seems like a free for all. 263 00:33:42.090 --> 00:33:49.890 Kaitlin Hermes: And you said that you were able to be vaccinated i'm presuming that’s because you're a teacher you work in education is that right. 264 00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:51.030 Brittney Kempema: that's correct yes. 265 00:33:51.210 --> 00:33:54.780 Kaitlin Hermes: And when were you able to get vaccinated. 266 00:33:55.560 --> 00:33:59.070 Brittney Kempema: And I actually had my second shot like. 267 00:34:00.210 --> 00:34:01.260 Brittney Kempema: Three weeks ago. 268 00:34:01.680 --> 00:34:02.850 was my second one. 269 00:34:04.230 --> 00:34:13.830 Kaitlin Hermes: And as far as you know, do all of your all of your co workers also getting vaccinated do you know if any of them feel hesitant about that at all. 270 00:34:14.460 --> 00:34:23.790 Brittney Kempema: um no I mean, as far as I mean I can't think of one that hasn't or isn't going, I mean everyone i've talked to, I think, for the most part has been vaccinated. 271 00:34:24.600 --> 00:34:25.050 Brittney Kempema: So. 272 00:34:25.680 --> 00:34:31.890 Brittney Kempema: it's never I mean and it's been surprising, because I know some people there's been a push back, but I haven't heard of anything like. 273 00:34:31.890 --> 00:34:32.190 That. 274 00:34:33.570 --> 00:34:36.180 Kaitlin Hermes: that’s really great yeah um. 275 00:34:38.100 --> 00:34:48.570 Kaitlin Hermes: What are any sort of positive things that have happened in your class or in your school or with students, even with dealing with Covid. 276 00:34:50.160 --> 00:34:53.580 Brittney Kempema: um, so I am also the. 277 00:34:54.750 --> 00:35:07.890 Brittney Kempema: mentor for this 11th grade student government and they usually get to have a dance and so obviously come February, that was not going to happen, which was disappointing because it was something that. 278 00:35:08.160 --> 00:35:12.240 Brittney Kempema: They were really excited to do and plan and the group works really well together. 279 00:35:12.510 --> 00:35:28.050 Brittney Kempema: So it would have been nice to give them that opportunity, but instead they petitioned the school, for the first time ever, they got to take the students out of school and we actually did this last Saturday is we rented out the megaplex. 280 00:35:29.010 --> 00:35:31.170 Brittney Kempema: Some of the screen there and then we did. 281 00:35:31.680 --> 00:35:34.350 Brittney Kempema: We got to see a movie it was just. 282 00:35:34.620 --> 00:35:38.430 Brittney Kempema: The students and then we sold a limited number of tickets, so that they could social distance. 283 00:35:39.960 --> 00:35:47.400 Brittney Kempema: So it was it was nice to kind of do something normal and it was just excited like exciting to see these students like think creatively. 284 00:35:48.090 --> 00:35:53.370 Brittney Kempema: And kind of find a way around you know all of the struggles and all of the. 285 00:35:54.390 --> 00:36:02.610 Brittney Kempema: The issues that they're facing and to find something for students to do together and kind of feel a little bit more normal, so it turned out really well. 286 00:36:04.350 --> 00:36:05.010 Kaitlin Hermes: yeah and that's. 287 00:36:06.180 --> 00:36:11.370 Kaitlin Hermes: Definitely, a good way to put it it's like they're using their creativity and that's something a lot of people have been doing is trying to be. 288 00:36:11.850 --> 00:36:20.910 Kaitlin Hermes: Creative so that we can come up with activities and things for school to do that, we started to feel normal also being stayed safe so that's a good way to put it. 289 00:36:23.310 --> 00:36:29.430 Kaitlin Hermes: A year ago, how are you picturing yourself and your life today and how is that different from what actually came to be. 290 00:36:33.210 --> 00:36:35.100 Brittney Kempema: I mean there's nothing I don't. 291 00:36:36.150 --> 00:36:40.830 Brittney Kempema: I don't know if there's anything from a year ago that that I imagined that. 292 00:36:42.090 --> 00:36:43.590 Brittney Kempema: is anything like i'm. 293 00:36:45.120 --> 00:36:50.880 Brittney Kempema: You know, again having my child and not have it getting to have my parents there not. 294 00:36:50.940 --> 00:36:59.730 Brittney Kempema: Like having those first moments with family and introducing her to everybody i'm not getting to say goodbye to that senior class and. 295 00:37:00.780 --> 00:37:01.590 Brittney Kempema: You know, like. 296 00:37:02.670 --> 00:37:12.600 Brittney Kempema: You know my my in laws to get to me they didn't even get to fly out here and meet Harper until she's like four or five months old and. 297 00:37:13.260 --> 00:37:15.960 Brittney Kempema: You know it's just I think just everything. 298 00:37:17.670 --> 00:37:26.430 Brittney Kempema: You know, and just I think is a mom like the worry of like every day like keeping your child safe like it's an added concern and for your students like. 299 00:37:27.210 --> 00:37:34.680 Brittney Kempema: I mean i've had so many students struggle with with mental health issues and so there's a lot of things that I never imagined that I would have to worry about. 300 00:37:35.910 --> 00:37:39.840 Brittney Kempema: The workload as a teacher has been enormous. 301 00:37:41.520 --> 00:37:51.780 Brittney Kempema: Just I thought at this point I would be like enjoying having a child, and you know all the joys of motherhood and there's this extra layer of stress that just never, never goes away. 302 00:37:53.010 --> 00:38:02.010 Kaitlin Hermes: Definitely um well your experience with Covid change anything you do as a teacher or as a parent in the future. 303 00:38:03.780 --> 00:38:04.410 Brittney Kempema: um. 304 00:38:08.760 --> 00:38:15.570 Brittney Kempema: I think you know, I think, for, as far as teaching I think now I learned like really to be prepared for anything. 305 00:38:16.830 --> 00:38:18.060 Brittney Kempema: As a teacher like. 306 00:38:19.140 --> 00:38:27.270 Brittney Kempema: Now we see that things can change at any second and to just kind of you know, be prepared for that um. 307 00:38:28.680 --> 00:38:39.360 Brittney Kempema: i've definitely with my head i'm much more nervous with germs and letting people holder and like you know things like that, and so that's gonna definitely change. 308 00:38:40.170 --> 00:38:45.660 Brittney Kempema: But the one thing that's been Nice is that you know it was just her my husband and I for. 309 00:38:46.320 --> 00:38:59.460 Brittney Kempema: You know, four months without family or anything like that, so it definitely helped us quickly learn how to take care of a kid and how to be parents, because we didn't really have the supportive of anyone else that could be here to help us. 310 00:39:01.980 --> 00:39:05.430 Kaitlin Hermes: And that what you just said kind of ties into another question, I had. 311 00:39:06.510 --> 00:39:15.660 Kaitlin Hermes: Of course, when you immediately had your baby we're still dealing with teaching, so it was a very busy time for you, then, as you said, once you hit to summer and teachers obviously get a bit of a break. 312 00:39:16.410 --> 00:39:24.120 Kaitlin Hermes: On top of that, with Covid and people having to quarantine and stay at home, did you feel like you had a lot more free time to stay at home and be with your baby. 313 00:39:24.810 --> 00:39:28.650 Brittney Kempema: yeah I mean it was that's all we did it was just you know. 314 00:39:29.940 --> 00:39:35.610 Brittney Kempema: Just spend time at home, and I mean the most we ever did was you know we would take her for a walk around the park but. 315 00:39:36.060 --> 00:39:40.380 Brittney Kempema: As far as going anywhere doing anything we were we were pretty limited so yeah it was. 316 00:39:40.950 --> 00:39:43.260 Brittney Kempema: A lot of a lot of free time to fill. 317 00:39:44.580 --> 00:39:51.540 Kaitlin Hermes: mm hmm um, what do you think your students are most looking forward to what's the pandemic is over. 318 00:39:53.010 --> 00:39:53.460 Brittney Kempema: I think. 319 00:39:54.720 --> 00:39:56.370 Brittney Kempema: For them, um. 320 00:39:57.390 --> 00:40:09.840 Brittney Kempema: Obviously, like getting it together and groups, you know doing things again, you know in larger groups dances prom I know they're they're hoping to have prom this year if that works out or not I don't know. 321 00:40:11.010 --> 00:40:12.810 Brittney Kempema: I know for everyone, the masks. 322 00:40:12.990 --> 00:40:21.240 Brittney Kempema: that's, you know as much as like they're important and everybody should be wearing them, I mean that doesn't stop the fact that they're kind of a pain, you know. 323 00:40:21.270 --> 00:40:21.960 Kaitlin Hermes: And so I think. 324 00:40:22.020 --> 00:40:25.260 Brittney Kempema: The day that we can like not wear a mask which. 325 00:40:26.400 --> 00:40:33.000 Brittney Kempema: I actually I can see the benefits, because I haven't even got a cold this year so part of me is like maybe I’ll keep wearing it. 326 00:40:33.630 --> 00:40:34.650 Brittney Kempema: it's been kind of Nice. 327 00:40:37.350 --> 00:40:45.090 Kaitlin Hermes: That’s something I’ve thought about too is, I’ve had the flu and still gone to school in the past, so i'm hoping in the future of people, even if they have a cold will just. 328 00:40:45.120 --> 00:40:47.190 Kaitlin Hermes: wear a mask out in public, you know stuff like that. 329 00:40:48.810 --> 00:40:50.130 Brittney Kempema: Hopefully they’ll think a little bit more about things. 330 00:40:51.030 --> 00:40:58.590 Kaitlin Hermes: yeah definitely and then My final question is, what are you most looking forward to what's the pandemic is over. 331 00:40:59.160 --> 00:41:02.250 Brittney Kempema: traveling I absolutely love to travel and so. 332 00:41:03.510 --> 00:41:10.620 Brittney Kempema: To not travel has been so incredibly difficult so it's been hard to just be here so i'm ready to travel. 333 00:41:12.510 --> 00:41:26.790 Kaitlin Hermes: awesome well I think that's all my questions, but thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview, and I feel like I learned a lot from it and it'll definitely be a good addition to the Marriott library, so thank you so much for being here. 334 00:41:27.120 --> 00:41:28.200 Brittney Kempema: No problem, thank you. 335 00:41:29.580 --> 00:41:31.830 Kaitlin Hermes: yeah of course okay bye. 336 00:41:32.040 --> 00:41:32.550 Brittney Kempema: bye.